Fats and oils which contain unsaturated fatty acids are oxidized by heat/oxygen to hydroperoxides. During a cooking process, these hydroperooxides further polymerize and/or decompose to form various organoleptically undesirable aldehydes, acids and ketones. This problem is especially acute in high temperature frying, and the presence of the hydroperoxides and their decomposition products causes the oil or fat and the foods fried in it to develop off-flavors.
Antioxidants, for example, the tocopherols, BHA, BHT, and citric acid inhibit the oxidation of the fatty acids in cooking oils, but do not prevent the formation and decomposition of hydroperoxides. In the presence of heat and oxygen, hydroperoxides are readily formed from the unsaturated fatty acids native to frying oils and certain foods. Indeed, if foods are fried in an oxygen-free atmosphere, such as under a blanket of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or other inert atmosphere, hydroperoxide formation is prevented and the food has an improved flavor.
It is an object of this invention to improve the flavor of fried foods by inhibiting the formation of hydroperoxides of fatty acids in both the oil/fat used for cooking (especially frying) and in the food itself.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of frying foods containing unsaturated fatty acids, particularly chicken, to improve the flavor of the food.